Past Sins
by Nelle
Summary: A Homicide: Life on the Streets/Highlander crossover. Set right after final episode of Homicde and continues to several months past Homicide: The Movie. You don't need to have seen an episode of Homicide to read, but it would be helpful.
1. Default Chapter

## Past Sins

### By Nelle Donaghue

Rating: R 

Characters: From HL: Methos, DM, CM, J, original immies; From HLotS: Bayliss, Pembleton, Munch, Lewis, Gee(mentioned). 

Author's Note: Unbeta'd, though it has been run through spellcheck several times. Feedback? Yes please! Archive? Other than Seventh Dimension and 11 Cents, ask first! Starts after last ep of Homicide and continues until several months past Homicide: The Movie. In Highlander, assumes that Archangel happened (sorry Clan Denial), also, the timeline has moved a bit to fit the Homicide timeline. 

Disclaimer: I don't own 'em, I just borrow 'em. All origional characters are mine, if you feel moved to use one, ask first! 

Small Cabin in the mountains near Seacouver, Washington, June, 1998. God how he wanted to end it all, he was guilty of killing another human being. He had played God with another soul. The pills and liquor and a plastic bag should do it, give him his release from his life. He had taken a sabbatical from the Homicide unit of the Baltimore Police, his name was Tim Bayliss. The only person who knew where he was had strict instructions not to bother him. That person was Frank Pembleton, his partner for six years. The local police would be getting a letter in a few weeks, long enough for death to do its work. He was ready, his goodbyes were on the floor next to him in the bathroom. The windows were all open, he took the pills and drank a bottle of Everclear, put the bag over his head and waited for sweet release. He felt no pain, only sweet blackness. Suddenly he was yanked back to reality, he sat up expecting to be in a hospital, but he was still in the bathroom. What the hell happened? The plastic bag was still on his head, he ripped it off angrily. 'I can't even kill myself properly. You are such a failure.' He thought to himself. 'Well, maybe my gun will do a better job of it. He leaned over the tub and pulled the trigger, sweet oblivion again. He woke up again. "What the hell is wrong with me????" He yelled out loud. He gave up trying to kill himself for now. What he needed was a drink, too bad he drank all of the Everclear trying to kill himself the first time. He looked down at his shirt seeing blood all over his clothes. I should probably shower and change first, I might scare someone looking like this. After he had showered and changed he set off for Seacouver. He was looking for a small bar with some good blues music when he saw Joe's Bar. Stopping, he got out of the car and went to the door. He heard the blues music coming out of the bar, as he was about to enter the bar, he suddenly got a headache. 

Adam Pierson, aka, Methos, was sitting at the bar, bent on drinking himself to oblivion. He didn't care if he got alcohol poisoning and died, he would just get right back up again. Suddenly he was hit by the buzz of another immortal. A new one judging by its strength. He looked up and saw a tall man with brown hair walk into Joe's. The man walked up to the bar and sat next to Methos. Methos was surprised by the haunted look in the man's eyes. "I have no challenge with you." He says to the man. 

"Huh?" Bayliss was confused. Challenge, what? 

A real newbie, doesn't even know what he is. Just my fucking luck. "My name is Adam Pierson, do you even know what you are?" 

"What am I? Human last I checked. Tim Bayliss is the name." Well, it was up to Methos to tell him, damn MacLeod's ethics. Ten years ago he wouldn't have told him, guess I have, had, been spending too much time with him. 

"Hey Joe, can I get another beer and whatever this man wants. Put it on my tab. Also, can I use your office?" 

"Sure thing, what can I get for you sir?" 

"A beer sounds good. You know, I own part of a bar." 

"Really where?" 

"The Waterfront in Baltimore Maryland. Myself and two other cops own it." 

"So you are a cop? Sorry, I'm being rude. I'm Joe Dawson." 

"I'm Tim Bayliss. So you own this place?" 

"Yep. I think that Adam wants to talk to you." 

"Thanks for the beer." Bayliss walks to Joe's office. "So what do you want to talk about Adam?" 

"What we are. Have you had a near death experience recently?" 

"Yes." 

"When?" 

"This evening." 

"What was it." 

Bayliss gets a haunted look on his face. "Why do you ask?" 

"It is always good to know. Don't worry, I've seen pretty much everything." 

"I tried to kill myself tonight." 

"And you probably did. We are immortal. We cannot die except if we are beheaded." 

"I don't believe you. I was dead. The dead don't rise." 

"Oh yes they do. It probably hurt like a bitch." Adam takes a sharp knife from the folds of his coat and a towel from the desk. "Oh well, I guess I will have to do this the hard way. Don't call the paramedics. Give me five minutes." With that, he stabs himself in the chest. "I hate this part." And dies. 

Bayliss is disturbed by what he just saw. Suddenly, a gasp comes from the dead man, he sits up. "Now do you believe me?" 

"What the hell just happened?" 

"I died and came back to life." He gets up and grabs Bayliss' arm and makes a deep cut. "Now look at that." He orders. 

Bayliss watches in awe as blue lightening arcs from edge to edge on the wound. 

"What the hell is that?" 

"That is your quickening. The quickening is what we are. Our strengths, weaknesses, personality. When we die, it is usually in a challenge. Two immortals fight to the death, the winner takes the losers head and their quickening." 

"Why?" 

"The Game and the Prize. The Game is played because it is believed that the last immortal on earth will get the Prize. No one knows what the prize is, there are a few guesses, like ultimate power. There are rules to this game, three in fact. One, no fighting on Holy Ground,;two, one on one fights only; three, no mortals can see us fight, if a mortal walks by, the fight is stopped. The good guys stick to all three, the bad guys, the last two." 

"How many of us are out there? And what happens when you fight on Holy Ground?" 

"The only time that it is rumored that immortals fought on Holy Ground was Pompeii in 79 CE. There are probably thousands of us out there. No one knows for sure, especially in cases like Methos." 

"Who is Methos?" 

"Rumored to be the oldest immortal alive." 

"How old would he be?" 

"5000." 

"To think of living that long, that would be amazing. So when did you become immortal?" 

"About three years ago, I was killed. I was in the Watchers then, the Watchers are a group of mortals that watch immortals and record our history. I was a researcher for the Methos project." 

"What was the Methos project?" 

"It is still going on. Essentially people are trying to find out if Methos is still alive." 

"Do you think so?" 

"Yes. There is enough proof of it. I can understand why he wouldn't want people to know who he was." 

"Why wouldn't he?" 

"He would probably have every head hunter there is after him, mortal and immortal. His quickening would be prized." Methos is watching Bayliss carefully for his reaction. He is so far satisfied that if he told Bayliss, his secret would be safe. 

"What I wouldn't give to spend an hour with him. To hear his life story, history coming from someone who lived it. It would be amazing." 

"What about all the pain and suffering over 5000 years. Not being able to stay in one place longer than twenty years, losing friends immortal and mortal to time." 

"Sounds depressing, still I wonder what kind of person he is. Do you want to know why I killed myself tonight?" 

"Sure, why?" 

"I killed a man in cold blood. He was an internet killer. He preyed on women and showed their murders happening live on the internet. Bastard used my homepage the last time. We caught him, but the charges were dropped because of delays. The whole fair and speedy trial thing. I hunted him and killed him. My doing that made me the same as him, a killer." 

This throws Methos for a loop, still the guy deserved to die. Just as much as he did. "Sometimes I wish that drawing and quartering were still punishments." 

'What? It sounds like he actually LIVED during that time. He might be a hell of a lot older than he says he is.' Bayliss thinks to himself. "So what are you thinking of my whole sordid tale?" 

"I'm thinking that guilt is overrated and that I have done far worse things than you ever have. I am also thinking of telling you something that very few people know about me. But if I do, you have to promise NEVER to tell ANYONE it unless I say it is OK to tell. I will hunt you down if you break this promise." 

'This must be pretty serious for him to make me swear that.' "I will do so if you promise to not tell anyone about what I did. No one has any idea that I did that." 

"Agreed. Better sit down Tim." 

"Okay, I'll sit down. I agree too." 

"I am Methos." 

"Why didn't you tell me right away?" 

"I didn't know if I trusted you enough. I didn't get to this age by trusting everyone. It pays to be a little paranoid." 

"So, what did you do that was worse than me?" 

"Ever read Revelations 6:8? The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse? Do you believe in it?" 

"Yes I have read Revelations, but I don't believe in the Horsemen." 

"I quote it, 'Death rides a pale horse.' I was Death of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse." 

"You are right, that is a hell of a lot wore than what I did. Why did you do it? How did you get out of it?" 

"Why, I'm still trying to figure that out 3000 years after it happened. How did I get out? I think it probably had to do with the fact that I began to hate myself for what I did. It also had to do with an immortal named Cassandra. I started to forgive myself when I found Jesus." 

"So you stopped because of some woman named Cassandra, and you forgave yourself because you found Jesus inside of you? Who was Cassandra?" 

"An immortal that I raped and tortured for 70 years. She made me look at what I was doing, and I was disgusted by it. She made me see humanity again, unfortunately, she wants to kill me. I met Jesus and he forgave me. Really nice guy, I saw him crucified and rise again. He was not an immortal either. He truly was a son of God." 

"Shit, you did do a lot worse than I did. But I also can see that you have changed from what you were. I can see it in your eyes, you still torture yourself mentally after all these years for what you did then." 

"You are very perceptive, and finally someone else who when they hear that story of mine don't hate me." 

"Who is the other person?" 

"Joe. My friend Duncan MacLeod, when he found out, he hated me. See, Cassandra is one of his good friends. I am the only Horsemen left." 

"What happened to the rest of them?" 

"In 1996 Kronos, the leader, found me and offered for me to ride with the Horsemen again. I agreed and found the other two, Caspian and Silas for Kronos. They all thought that I was really going to ride with them again, I was really going to engineer their downfall. Get my Brothers killed. Kronos came up with a plan that would have killed off most of southern France. See, he had made a biological weapon. I tried to keep MacLeod out of it, but he couldn't take a hint. So, he ended up killing Kronos and Caspian, I killed Silas. I really did like Silas, he wasn't like the others, sure he killed, but he didn't do it because of pleasure, he did it because it was a job to him. While I was still down from Silas' quickening, Cassandra tried to take my head. She didn't succeed because MacLeod told her to spare my life for him. MacLeod and I had a big fight about this, and I have only briefly seen him since." 

"And I thought that my past few years were shitty. When was the last time you saw him?" 

"A couple months ago in France. Do you believe in demons?" 

"I have never seen one or had one disproved to me, so I cannot say." 

"Well, they are real. MacLeod was possessed by Ahriman, he killed his student Richie Ryan. Real nice kid too. He offered me his head, I refused and ran. Haven't seen him since. I was actually only going to be in town for a few days, I was going to leave tomorrow." 

"You aren't going to leave tomorrow?" 

"No, you need a teacher." 

"Teacher?" 

"I am horrible today, aren't I? You need a teacher to teach you how to use one of these." Methos pulls out his broadsword. "I would be willing to teach you if you want me too." 

"Okay, when do we start?" 

"Tomorrow, tonight you will stay at my place. Less of a chance of you getting killed that way. Not many people know that I am immortal, so you should be safe with me until you get trained. Now lets go get another beer, I seem to have run out. By the way, Joe knows who I am. He can be trusted." 

They walk out into the bar room, Methos and Tim sit down and each order a beer. Methos feels the buzz creep up his neck, 'Oh wonderful, another immortal nearby. Well, if they are out to challenge someone, I hope its me.' 

"Adam Pierson, my name is Fred Greene, I challenge you." 

'They seem to get younger and younger all the time. "I don't want to fight you. Just leave me alone." 

"Challenge me or die now." 

"You idiot! This room is full of mortals. I was just trying to give you a chance to live. Fine, I accept. Bayliss, come outside with us. Joe, be back in a bit." 

"Hope you say your goodbyes Adam. I tell you, the new immortals now days are nothing compared to the ancients. None of them stand a chance at winning the game, no killing spirit." 

At this statement, Methos had to keep from bursting out laughing. Here was this *child* saying that he didn't have a killing spirit to the oldest known immortal. In a few moments they were in a dark alley. Methos went on the defense right away, the kid was making wild movements with his sword. After five minutes, he had yet to make a hit and was sweating, Methos had made several hits and wasn't even breaking a sweat. "So, how old are you?" He asks Fred. 

"24." 

At this time, Methos executed a spectacular array of moves that cut both wrists off, disemboweled him, and decapitated him. "Get back Bayliss." He managed to grunt before the quickening hit.Thankfully, the quickening was a short one, it seems that Greene had taken only a few heads, none of them very powerful. "Any questions Tim?" 

***

Eight months later... 

"Shit, shit, shit." Bayliss muttered under his breath. Gee had gotten shot. He looked around for Methos, not seeing him, he walked in the direction he thought that Methos was and called, "Adam." 

"What Tim?" Methos appears from cabin, curious as to what has Tim excited. 

"Gee got shot, I need to go back to Baltimore." 

"Okay. Bayliss, you aren't going to do something that you might regret, are you?" 

"I was going to confess my crime and get killed in an 'accident'," 

"And how are you going to do that?" 

"I'll figure something out. Hey, can you give me a ride to the airport?" 

"I'm coming with you, and I will help you figure that out. Even though you have yet to take a head, you have a very strong quickening. This means that you heal a lot faster than you might otherwise. What would take a usual newbie an hour, takes you half an hour. So the more bloody and gruesome, the better." 

"Fine." 

"Besides, I've never had the pleasure to see your bar before. Do you think I could get a tab there?" 

"Most likely, in my will, you are the sole beneficiary." 

"So I will be part owner of a bar? Oh, how the possibilities are endless. When does the plane leave?" 

"In two hours." 

**

In Baltimore... 

"Just drop me off by the station. I will call you later on your cell for a ride back to the hotel." 

In a few moments, the station comes into view, Bayliss gets out of the car. Hoping to God that they can find the guy who shot Gee. As he is getting out of the car, he sees a familiar form coming towards him. Munch, it had to be Munch. 

"Timmy my boy, who was that with you?" Asks Det. John Munch. 

"That was my friend, Adam Pierson." 

"*Just* a friend." 

"Fuck you Munch. He is just a friend. In fact, he is the one whose cabin I was staying at when I got the call." 

"So why is he here?" 

"Because he has never been to Baltimore before." 

**

On the roof of the Station, later that night... 

"One last confession Frank, please, just one last confession." 

"No, no, no Tim. I will not hear your confession." Frank puts his hands up to his ears as if covering them will make Tim stop. 

"I shot a man in cold blood Frank. I hunted the bastard down and shot him." 

"It was an accident." 

"No it wasn't, I shot him like it was an execution." By this time, Frank and Tim's foreheads are touching 

"You can't have, not you Bayliss." 

"Yes I did, judge me Frank." 

"I can't judge you." 

"Then forgive me." 

"I can't do that either." 

"Turn me in then." 

"No, no, NO. I will not turn you in Tim." 

"A few months back I was going to eat my gun Frank. Either turn me in, or I will eat my gun." 

"Goddamn you Bayliss." 

With that, two figures disappear into the building. One slips out of the shadows and goes down to the street and waits. 

"I am going to the Waterfront and having a last drink Frank." With those words, he walks down the front steps, right into the path of a speeding car. 

'Dammit, dying hurt. Waking up was almost as bad as dying. Oh well, at least he had a friend who was going to break him out. Some weren't so lucky, some had to break out on their own.' "Adam," I hisses under my breath, "hurry up, it's freezing in here." 

"Hold your horses." A minute later two figures are creeping out of the morgue. 

Once outside, they slip into a car and drive into the night. "So Adam, what did you do with the car?" 

"A long drive off of a short pier. How are you doing?" 

"Better. I still wish that I could tell Pembleton the truth about us." 

"Would you trust him with the truth?" 

"Yes. And he would keep the secret." 

"How about in while I send a letter saying that I have answers into your death to Pembleton? To get those answers, he would have to come to Seacouver. I could include open ended tickets." 

"I would really appreciate that." 

"Now, back to finish your training." 

"I wonder which is more important to you now, me perfecting sword techniques or learning ancient languages." 

"Guess." 

"Ancient languages?" 

"You got it. That way you can communicate more securely." 

"Damn, you are paranoid." 

"It's helped me this long." 

"Good point." 

***

A couple months later. Adam had just heard from Frank. Frank said that he would be arriving at Joe's around 2 AM. Joe had agreed to close the bar early that day. 

'This is not the kind of place I expected, I guess I expected something a little lower in class.' Frank thinks to himself when he pulls up to Joe's Bar in Seacouver Washington. 'I just hope that that guy has answers to my questions.' 

"Bayliss, go in back now. Frank is in front." 

Just as the door closes to Joe's office, Frank enters the bar. "Excuse me sirs, could you please tell me where I can find Adam Pierson? I'm Frank Pembleton." 

"That would be me." A skinny, tallish, pale skinned man says. 

"You wouldn't happen to be *the* Adam Pierson, would you?" 

"Huh?" 

"The one who is a phenomenal researcher and translator? From your doctoral studies your are legendary for your ability to make nothing into something." 

"Yeah, I guess that would be me. I take it that you came for answers?" Privately Methos thought that it always helped with history if you had lived through it yourself. 

"Yes." 

"Okay, if you will step into the office I will tell you. There are still patrons around who could hear things they shouldn't." 

"This must be pretty high security stuff for all this cloak and dagger." 

"It is quite literally a matter of life and death." Methos leads the way into the office where Tim is sitting on the couch reading a book. 

"Hi Frank." 

"Tim, that can't be you. I saw you, you were *dead*." 

"I was, but now I am alive. By the way, the name is now Erik Thompson." 

"How is that possible?" 

"Have you ever heard of immortality?" 

"It is just the goal of many scientists out there. Why?" 

"Adam and I are immortal. As in can't die except by beheading." 

"I don't believe you, you were dead before my eyes." 

Methos is standing by the door, blocking Frank's exit. 

"I really hate this part, it hurts like a bitch." Tim pulls out a dagger and stabs himself in the chest. 

"Adam, are you just going to stand there. Give me the phone, call 911. He's *dying*." 

"It is also very hard to explain to doctors why when just 5 minutes ago you were dead, but now you are alive without a scratch on you. Erik will be out for a few minutes more. Watch Frank." Methos grabs a towel from the desk and a dagger from his pocket and slices his wrist to the bone. Frank watches on with amazement as the wound heals itself. Blue lightening closing the wound. Suddenly Adam goes stiff. 

"What's wrong?" 

"Another immortal." He walks over to Tim's coat and pulls a sword out of the lining. "If someone is threatening you or Bayliss, try and stab them with this." Adam storms out of the room grabbing a long package from the closet on his way out. just as Bayliss is waking up. 

End Part One 


	2. Past Sins 2

See disclaimer, etc in Part One 

"What's wrong?" 

"Another immortal." He walks over to Tim's coat and pulls a sword out of the lining. "If someone is threatening you or Bayliss, try and stab them with this." Adam storms out of the room grabbing a long package from the closet on his way out. just as Bayliss is waking up. 

"What's wrong Frank?" 

"Your friend just muttered something about a fellow immortal, handed me this from your coat and stormed out the door. What's wrong, you don't look good." 

"Another immortal huh, I can feel him. Well, lets go see what this is about." By this point all the mortal patrons had left the bar, and that was a good thing considering what might happen when Methos and MacLeod confronted each other. 

"MacLeod, why the hell aren't you carrying your sword??" 

"Well, *Adam*, amazing seeing you here. I thought that you had just run on Joe and myself." 

"I didn't run out, I got a student for your information." 

"The great Adam Pierson got a student, huh. Amazing, fucking amazing that you could care for someone other than yourself." 

"What the fuck are you talking about MacLeod???" 

"You running off after Ahriman. After my killing Richie." 

"And what the hell are you doing running around without a sword?" 

"I don't deserve to live. After all, I killed Richie." With this statement, 

Methos loses patience with MacLeod, he grabs MacLeod by the front of his shirt and rams him against the closest wall. 

***

Bayliss and Frank enter the room at this point, "Well, this isn't going well." Remarks Bayliss. 

"What the hell are they doing?" Asks Frank, shocked at what he is seeing. 

"Long story, listen and you will probably get it. 

***

"MacLeod, take your fucking sword." 

"No." 

With one fluid motion, Methos pulls out his sword and has it at MacLeod's neck. 

"Take your sword or I swear I will take your head." 

"No, I don't deserve to live." 

"So you are just walking around with no sword, have you ever considered that maybe a head hunter would get your head. You have a powerful quickening, imagine what that might do to a head hunter. Maybe I should just take your head and be done with it." 

"Maybe I should have taken your head when you offered it to me." 

"Well, maybe I should have taken your head when you offered it to me after the Dark Quickening. When I left Alexa on her deathbed to see to your sorry ass." 

"Maybe you should have, then Richie would be alive." There is blood trickling down Mac's neck now. 

***

"Oh shit Frank, this is not good." 

"No kidding." 

"No, who just walked in." Bayliss takes his sword out and runs to where another immortal is taking a swing at Methos' head. He blocks her sword mid-stroke. 

"Sorry, can't let you do that." 

"Why the hell not? Methos is evil, Cassandra said so. I should take both of your heads, after all, you are his student." 

"So the rules don't matter to you?" 

"No." 

***

Amanda is running towards Joe's bar trying to get there in time. 'Please Gods, let me get there in time. Cassandra and her student are going to take Methos' head. Front door is not a good idea, I'll just use the back door. Ok, I have my tools in my hand, come on lock, open. Thank god.' Amanda rushes into the bar just in time to stop Cassandra from taking Methos' head. "Sorry Cassandra, can't let you do that." 

"He is going to take Mac's head! And Mac doesn't even have a sword." Spits Cassandra. 

"Has it occurred to you that MacLeod has been running around *WITHOUT* a sword for the past year? Did it also occur that Methos might JUST be trying to make Mac take back his sword? No, because Methos is evil no matter what he does, even if it is for the good." 

***

"Joe, what the hell is going on? Who is Methos, why are there two people trying to take his head?" 

"Joe, go ahead and tell him why." Methos calls to Joe. 

"Methos is his real name, he is the oldest known immortal." 

"How old?" 

"5000 give or take a couple centuries." 

"Wow." 

"Ever heard of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse?" 

"Yes, but they are just a myth." 

"No they are not, Methos was Death. The other three are dead." Joe goes on to explain the story and why Cassandra wants Methos dead. 

"That's intense. I understand why Cassandra would want him dead, but still, this is unfair." 

"I agree with that thought." 

"But why won't Mac carry a sword?" 

"Do you believe in demons?" 

"No, They are farie tales made up to scare ignorant people into line by the Church." 

"Oh, they are very real. Richie Ryan was Mac's student, about a year ago Mac was possessed by Ahriman. Under Ahriman's influence he took Richie's head, he hasn't forgiven himself yet. That's why he won't carry a sword." 

"Shit." 

***

"Mac, Richie is dead. Nothing can change that. Take your fucking sword." 

"Not until you answer a question for me." 

"And what would that be?" 

"Why did you run after I had killed Richie?" 

"Did it ever occur to you that MAYBE I ran because of my past I would be more susepetible to Ahriman's influences?" 

"That doesn't explain anything." 

"Mac, look at how easy it took over you, and you are a *GOOD* person, with a much less bloody past than me. Think of how easy it could have gotten to me. The demon might have offered me the power that I had with the Horsemen. *I* don't want that power again. In Bordeaux, it was damned hard for me to resist the lure of power that the Horsemen held. It was for the good of humanity that I ran from you for. So PLEASE take your sword Mac." 

"Fine." With that one word, Mac takes his sword from Methos' grip and Methos takes his sword from Mac's neck. 

"Now that you have heard me out, can we at least try to be friends again?" 

"I suppose. What the hell is going on behind you?" 

"It would appear that my student is stopping Cassandra's student from taking my head and Amanda is doing the same with Cassandra." 

"Cassandra, put your sword away. And make your student do the same." 

"How can you forgive that bastard?" Cassandra asks. 

"Probably because he was making me face some hard realities about not carrying my sword. He convinced me to carry it again." 

"So, he still deserves to die." 

"Cassandra, he was probably the only person who could have convinced me to take my sword again. Leave now." 

"I want to make sure that bastard won't kill you." 

"Cassandra, if you don't leave, I may just take your head. So GO." 

"Fine, Kristine, lets leave these bastards. " With those words, Cassandra and her student drop their weapons and leave. 

"Amanda, I didn't know you were coming." 

"I've been keeping an eye on Cassandra lately. It seems her student and her have been doing a bit of hunting lately." She turns to Methos, "Thank you Adam for making Mac carry a sword again." 

***

Frank looks on disbelieving that no serious harm had come to anyone. Though he got the impression that everyone with swords was an immortal, so if they just died it wouldn't matter. 

Methos walks back to the bar, "So Frank, confused?" 

"Just a bit." 

"Hey Joe, can I get a beer?" Methos asks. 

"I suppose. Anyone else want something to drink?" 

Amanda requests a red wine, Tim gets a beer, Mac gets a whiskey, and Frank just gets a 7-up. 

"Can I get you something harder Frank?" 

"Can't because of my blood pressure. Found that one out the hard way. Three years ago I stroked out in the interrogation room." 

"That sucks." Remarks Joe. 

"I think that Cassandra was hanging by one mental thread when she came in here tonight, and has been since Bordeaux. Tonight's events just broke that last thread." MacLeod puts in, not liking its implications for his old friend. 

"I for one, plan on doing nothing about it for now. I will however do something about it if she does something about it." Remarks Methos, startling MacLeod. 

"Such as?" Questions Mac. 

"Starts running around and telling people what my real name is." 

At this point the four immortals in the bar tense up, as another immortal approaches. 

"Who in here is Adam Pierson?" The strange man asks. 

"I am, why?" 

"Your real name is Methos, and if I take your head, I will be all powerful." 

"How did you find that out?" 

"Cassandra told me." 

"Wonderful, abso-fucking-lutly wonderful. Who are you?" 

"Jason Nelson. Say goodbye to your friends. I challenge you Methos." 

"I'd say goodbye to your friends as well, except that I don't think that you have any. I accept your challenge only I want my friends with me." 

"Why, do you not trust me?" 

"No." 

They all move to the alleyway by Joe's bar, Nelson lunges first, a move that is easily parried by Methos. Methos stays on the defensive, reading Nelson's attack strategy. Nelson is good, very good, but Methos is better. After about five minutes of Nelson being on the offensive, Methos thrusts. Nelson tries to parry, but fails and gets a deep wound on his left shoulder. Methos feints to Nelson's left with a lunge, but finishes with a stroke that slashes across Nelson's knees and continues upwards and cleanly takes Nelson's head off. 

Frank is in awe of what he has just seen, two men fighting with swords to the death. Part of him was in shock that two people could kill each other without so much as a thought, but the other part knew that logically, if Adam had not fought, he would be dead. And despite Adam's past, he seemed to be a much nicer guy than Nelson seemed to be. Frank watches with horror as Nelson's body lifts off of the ground, a white mist coming from where his head used to be. This white mist envelopes Adam's body. Blue lightening bolts shoot out of Nelson's body, arching over to Adam's body, some of the lightening bolts bounce off of Adam's body and crash into windows, glass is shattering everywhere. Adam lets out a primal scream before collapsing to the ground, exhausted. 

Dammit, I really hate quickenings. The sensation that Adam felt during the quickening was akin to something in between an orgasm and torturous pain. 

Frank moves toward Adam's body, but is stopped by MacLeod. "No, Frank. He cannot be touched by a mortal right now." Mac moves over to Adam, "Adam, I am going to pick you up now." Mac picks him up and moves him inside the bar to the couch in Joe's office where he lays him down. 

By this time Methos has recovered enough to speak, "You know Mac, if we keep doing this, people will talk." 

"Let them talk, admit it, you'd love it." 

"Nelson was quite powerful, I am pretty sure that he was a hunter. He seemed rather new to me, Don't say anything about that MacLeod, what I mean by new is no older than a few centuries. I know that you are not going to like what I have to say Mac, but Cassandra needs to be stopped." 

"It hurts me to agree with you, but I agree, she does need to be stopped." 

"Okay, I will go with Erik and Frank and search half the city with them. You take Amanda and search the other half with her. Joe, you can stay back here and maybe use some of your Watcher resources to see what she has been up to lately." 

"No Methos." 

"Why not?" 

"You saved my life today already, let me repay the favor. Stay here with Joe, I will search with Erik and Amanda can search with Frank." 

"I don't know if that is a good idea, after all, Frank used to be a cop." 

"Well, I will just have to tell her to be on her best behavior." 

"What will I do then?" 

"Methos, you are the best hacker among us, try and hack into different airline ticket databases." 

"Fine." 

Mac gets up and tells the others of the plan. A few hours later they meet back at Joe's. 

"Erik and I found no sign of her or her student anywhere." States Mac. 

"Frank I and didn't either." Adds Amanda. 

"Well, I had better luck than any of you." 

"What did you find Adam?" Asks Mac. 

"Well she purchased two plane tickets." 

"Where to?" 

"Somewhere familiar to at least two people in the room. Sorry Erik, but you can't go with. She went to Baltimore." 

"We should get another immortal to come along then. Don't get me wrong, I think that Methos, Duncan and myself could do it. The odds would be better with more of us." States Amanda. 

"I think that I may know just the person for the job." 

"And who might that be Duncan?" Asks Amanda, curious about who Duncan trusts enough. 

"Connor MacLeod. He's honorable and a good fighter." 

"Do you think that he might go for it?" 

"I think so, I will leave certain parts about Methos' life out of it." 

"And my name until I meet him?" 

"Okay. Let me just make a call." Duncan picks up a phone and dials Connor's number. "Hello, may I please speak to Russell Nash, tell him that Duncan MacLeod is calling." 

"What do you need?" 

"Why do you always assume that I need something when I call?" 

"Maybe its because whenever you call you need something." 

"Good point. I do need something. A friend of mine is being hunted by an insane immortal and her student." 

"Why does your friend need help?" 

'Please forgive me for this Methos.' Duncan thinks before telling Connor. "She is convinced that my friend is the legendary Methos." 

"Is he?" 

"No, he just looks a lot like the descriptions of Methos." 

"What is your friend's name?" 

"Adam Pierson." 

"Oh, the immortal that was a Watcher but turned out to be an immortal." 

"That would be him." 

"He seems like a decent guy, I will help you. Where are you?" 

"We are in Seacouver right now, but Cassandra is heading towards Baltimore right now." 

"Since Baltimore is closer to here, lets meet there. Where do you want to meet?" 

"Well, a friend of Adam's was 'killed' there and inherited a bar. So lets meet there." 

"Killed as in first death killed?" 

"Yep. How about we meet there at midnight tomorrow." 

"See you then Duncan." 

"See you then Russell." Mac hangs up the phone and turns to the group. "Well, Connor agreed to help us. Sorry Methos, I didn't mean to almost blow your cover." 

"Don't worry Mac, you can make it up to me by buying me another beer." 

"Adam, you are a cheap man." 

"So?" 

"Mac, honey, lets go now. I have *really* missed you." Amanda states to Mac, who is getting a little bit red in the cheeks. 

"There is a plane leaving at noon tomorrow and I booked 5 seats on it. So lets meet back here at 10." 

"See you then." Mac and Amanda leave the bar. 

"Well, I had better be getting back to my hotel room now. See you all tomorrow." States Frank as he moves to leave. 

"Frank, stay at my place. The couch is really quite comfortable." Offers Methos. 

"And where will Tim stay?" 

"I have a two bedroom place, he is currently using the guest bedroom." 

"Isn't someone coming after your head? Wouldn't I be safer in a hotel room?" 

"No, there are two of us there. If it would make you feel better, take my room. New sheets put on just this morning." 

"And leave you to sleep on the couch. I saw what you went through this evening." 

"I have gone through that hundreds, if not thousands of times. That is not even close to being the worst. I have died from a quickening before." 

"Fine." 

With that, Methos, Erik and Frank leave the bar and go back to Methos' place. 

"Nice place Adam, how do manage to have this place and pull off the starving young immortal thing?" 

"Don't you know, my rich uncle owns it. He is just never around. The bedroom is through there. There is a extra toothbrush in the middle drawer. Goodnight." With that, Adam lays down on the couch and falls asleep." 

The next morning dawns much too soon for everyone. Methos gets up and looks at the fridge, then the coffee maker. 

"Morning Adam." 

"Morning Frank." 

"Why are you looking at the fridge and the coffee maker?" 

"I am trying to decide if I want a beer or if I want coffee." 

"Isn't it a bit early to start drinking?" 

"No, I have such a tolerance that I could probably match any mortal drink for drink until the mortal passed out, and I wouldn't even have a buzz." 

"Ah, so which is winning?" 

"The beer. Though I do have brandy. Hmmm, brandy and coffee sounds good." 

"Morning Adam, Frank." 

"Morning Erik." 

"So, its going to be that kind of day, huh?" Remarks Erik. 

"What do you mean by that Tim?" 

"He always drinks in the morning when he feels its going to be a long day." 

"Well that's comforting." 

A little bit later at the airport... 

"First class Adam, you are spoiling us." Remarks Amanda. 

"There weren't five seats together in coach. Stop flattering yourself." 

"Well, aren't we in a good mood this morning." 

"Shut up Amanda." 

Just then, the boarding call was made for their flight. It was an uneventful flight. Once in Baltimore, they check into a hotel. They drive around Baltimore looking for places that Cassandra might be. They were also looking for places where a fight might be possible. At around 11 they all go to the Waterfront to eat. 

"Well I'll be, if it isn't Frank Pembleton. What happened that made you grace us with your appearance?" Munch asks sarcastically. 

"Shut up Munch. You might want to know that the guy who Tim left his shares in the bar is here with me." 

"And who are all of these people?" 

"This is Duncan MacLeod, Joe Dawson, Amanda Montrose and Adam Pierson." 

"So Mr. Pierson, you own part of this bar?" 

"Yes I do, beer please." 

Just then, the four immortals tense as they feel another immortal draw near. A female immortal with longish blond hair and grey blue eyes walks in and turns to Methos. "Adam! How are you? It's me, Elenore Petersen." She goes over to Methos and gives him a big hug. She whispers in his ear, in ancient Greek, 

"It's me Methos, Alexandra, my teacher." He whispers back in her ear, "My God, it is you. I haven't seen you in what, 2000 years?" 

"Somewhere around there." 

Breaking their embrace, Methos turns to the rest of the group and says, "This is a friend. She has changed a lot since I last saw her 20 years ago. Is there an office I could use? I have to discuss something with her and Amanda." 

"Sure, there is one down the hall and to the right." 

Still holding Elenore's hand, Methos leads her and Amanda down to the office. Upon entering, Amanda is the first to talk, "Adam, I don't believe that it has only been 20 years." 

"And you would be right. It has been more like 2000 years. She knows by the way, about the Horsemen and my real name." 

"Good, no need to go through that again. So when did you meet Methos Elenore?" 

"5500 years ago." 

"But Methos is 5000." 

"Amanda, that is how far back I remember, I could be older than that." 

"How the hell do you forget 500 or more years?" 

"I don't know." 

"I remember. Methos, when you were a thousand you took a Dark Quickening. That was 5000 years ago. You were cured when I took you to a Holy Spring in France." 

At this realization, Methos knows why he thought that that Holy Spring would work for MacLeod, because it already had worked for someone, himself. 

"So who taught you? How old are you?" Amanda asks, very curious at what the answer might be. 

"Methos taught me, he was already at least 500, I am 5500. I am here today because Cassandra approached me and asked me to trick you into coming with me tomorrow to meet her. She wants your head Methos. I was mad at what you told me what you did over 2000 years ago. I could see that you hated what you had done, and this was 2000 years ago. So, how do we take her out?" 

"We are waiting for a friend of Mac's to get here." 

***

"Russell, how are you doing?" Mac greets his kinsman. 

"Good, can I talk to Adam now?" 

"Sure, right this way." Mac leads the way to the office, leaving behind two confused mortals and one knowing mortal. 

"Frank, what the hell is going on?" Asks a befuddled John Munch. 

"Yeah Frank, what is going on?" Meldrick Lewis asks, quite curious as to why Mr. Nosy himself wasn't asking questions. 

"Nothing that matters to either of you." 

"Touche, touche Frank. Does this have to do with Timmy's death?" Asks Munch. 'How incredibly ironic that last statement was,' thinks Frank, 'after all, I just saw him this morning.' "No it doesn't." 

"You aren't gonna tell us, are you Frank?" Asks Meldrick. 

"Nope." With this last word, two men enter the bar. One man appears to be in his early thirties, the other man looks to be in his twenties. The younger man speaks first. "Hello, I am Xavier Jorden and this is Phil Jorden. I was wondering where I could find Adam Pierson?" The older looking man during the introductions had taken his coat and lay it on a near by table. 

"Sure they are down the hall, I'll show you where." Says Frank, and he leads the way down the hall. 

End Part Two 


	3. Past Sins 3

See disclaimer, etc, in Part One 

***

The conversation in the room stops when they feel the buzz of two approaching immortals. 

Frank knocks on the door and says, "Adam, there are two men who would like to talk to you." 

"Well, if they want to talk to me, they had better come in here." 

The two men go into the room, Elenore recognizes who they are. "Xavier, Phil, what are you doing here?" 

"Looking for Adam Pierson." 

"That would be me. Elenore, how do you know them?" 

"Xavier was my student. He can be trusted." 

"Okay. Now what do you two want?" 

"We just met Cassandra, she wants us to find you and trick you into meeting her. She is insane, she took myself and my student by force. She also called you Methos. Is that true, are you the mythical Methos?" 

"And why would it matter to you? If I were Methos, would you want my head?" 

"No, oh gods no. If you are Methos, then you are the teacher of my teacher, if I killed you, that would make Elenore *very* mad." 

"Yes it would." 

"So, how old are you and your student?" Asks Methos. 

"I am 3000, my student is 40." 

***

"Meldrick, I think I know a way to find out what they are doing." 

"And how would that be, Munch?" 

"One of them left their coat out here. Lets take it to them." When Munch picks up the coat, he feels a long, solid object in the lining of the coat. When he pulls it out, he is stunned. 

"Munch, why do you look so surprised?" 

"Because I've seen someone wield one of these before." 

"When?" 

"New York, 1985. I was walking down the street and passed an alleyway. At the end of it, there were two men fighting. One man was literally seven feet tall and freaky as hell looking. He beheads a smaller looking black man, then he gets *shot* by one of those survivor freaks. He doesn't die like he should, he gets back up, and impales the survivor guy on his sword. Then there is this freaky electrical storm." 

"Weird. I wonder if they are dangerous." 

"I just remembered why the name Russell Nash sounds so familiar. In '85 he was a suspect in numerous beheadings. Lets go see what they are really about." Munch walks over and locks the front door, he and Meldrick go to the office, and open the door. "What the hell is this about?" Demands Munch. 

"Trust me, you really don't want to know." Frank speaks up first. 

"Oh yes I do want to know. I also want to know why in '85 I saw a man beheaded, his beheader shot to what should have been death, impale a guy on a sword and then be the center of a freakish electrical storm." 

"What did the beheader look like?" Asks Connor. 

"About seven feet tall and freakish looking." 

"The Kurgen. A real bad dude, don't worry, he is dead." 

"And how do you know, *Russell*?" 

"I killed him." 

"Do you realize that you have just confessed to murder in the presence of *cops*?" 

"Yes I do." 

"Stop, both of you. Munch has a right to know what he might be getting into." States Methos, much to the surprise of Mac and Amanda. "You seem to be the conspiracy type Munch." 

"I am, why?" 

"Did you ever hear about what happened in France in 1996?" 

"Bordeaux? I have heard about it, some of the details did seem to point to a conspiracy." 

"Would you like to know what really happened?" 

"Hell yes." 

"First, tell me what you saw and where you saw it?" 

"Are you all government agents?" That statement causes the entire room except for Meldrick to burst out laughing. "What are you laughing about?" 

"What we would all look like as government agents. Especially Adam." Remarks Amanda. 

"Ok, fine. I saw a video tape with three men going in. One is positively identified as Melvin Koren, the other two were unidentified. After a lot of silence, there is the sound of metal on metal. Then, the tape crackles and dies." 

"Where did you get this tape?" Asks a concerned Methos. 

"A reliable source. Not at all government condoned." 

"I will tell you and Meldrick what we are, only if you promise *NEVER* to tell another soul." 

"Why?" 

"Because the outcome would be disastrous to thousands of people." 

"So what are you?" 

"We are immortal." 

"Frank, you don't buy this, do you? Are you immortal?" 

"No, but they are telling the truth." He stops for a moment, thinking, 'Well, in for a penny, in for a pound.' "I saw Bayliss yesterday." 

"Bayliss is DEAD. Got run over in front of here, remember?" 

"Yes I do. Bayliss is immortal as well. Adam is his teacher." 

"I still don't believe you all." 

Methos speaks up. "I know that it is hard to understand, the combined age of everyone in this room except for the mortals is about 17000." 

"What?" Meldrick breaks in, with a voice that is a combination of awe and shock. 

"Until recently I thought that I was 5000, I just found out today that I am closer to 6000. Elenore is 5500, Amanda is 1200, Xavier is 3000, Connor is about 500, Duncan is about 400, and Phil is the baby at 40." 

"Damn. Now what happened in Bordeaux?" 

"Ever heard of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse?" 

"Yes, but no one believes that. It's just a myth." 

"Just a myth like me. The Horsemen were actually immortals. Melvin Koren and those two unknown men were part of the Horsemen. Koren is better known as Kronos, the unknown men were name Caspian and Silas. They are all dead now." 

"Who killed them?" 

"Mac killed Kronos and Caspian. I killed Silas." 

"There were four Horsemen, who was the fourth?" 

"I was. I was Death. I am Methos, the myth." 

A silence falls over the mortals, all of the immortals had been told about Adam's true identity and his role in the Horsemen. "Why didn't you die with the rest of them? And why the hell are you a myth?" 

"I'll answer your second question first, I am a myth because I am considered to be the oldest living immortal. For your first question, that is because I engineered their deaths. See, Kronos wanted to ride again. So he gathered us all up, except instead of killing, etc, how we used to, he designed a biological weapon. A biological weapon that would have wiped out most of France." 

"Shit. So why the hell are you all here?" 

"Because my past is haunting me *again*. An immortal is after my head and she is telling every immortal she sees not only my alias, but also my real name. I can handle having her hate me, but telling every immortal she sees about who I really am, well, that's a great way to get me killed." 

"Why?" 

"Because of the quickening, the older you get and the more heads you take, the stronger it gets." Methos goes on to explain it all to Munch and Meldrick. 

"So why is she after your head?" Asks a stunned Munch. 

"Because when I was one of the Horsemen I imprisoned her and raped and tortured her. I was not a nice guy then. But it was a different time and place." 

"I can see why she would want to kill you. When did this end?" 

"Oh, about 2500 years ago. What time is it?" 

"2 AM, wow, time flies when you are talking about the past." 

"We have to meet them at 2:30 AM tomorrow, correct?" Asks Methos 

"Yep. We should probably go now." 

"Remember, Munch and Meldrick, tell no one of what you heard tonight." 

"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone." Affirms Munch. 

"Neither will I." 

"I just had an idea, how about I try and catch this case tommorow." 

"Why?" Asks Methos. 

"Because, I have to be on duty at midnight tomorrow. If I can get your call, I'll make sure that the body gets moved too soon, etc." Lewis states. 

"How can we trust you?" 

"In 1996, my partner at the time was involved with a bad shoot. Well, the shit really hit the fan in '98. I didn't rat on him. I won't rat on you now." 

"Ok, but we are not telling either of you the address. Munch meet us here at 1AM tomorrow." 

The group goes their separate ways, except for Methos and Elenore. 

(add more stuff in here) 

The next night at the bar... 

"Ready to go Adam?" Asks a concerned MacLeod sitting down at the table with Adam. He is not concerned with Methos having the skill to win the fight, he is more concerned with how the old man would take the quickening of Cassandra. 

"Mac, I am going to warn you, I will fight fair as long as she does, but if she decides to fight dirty, well, I have no problem fighting dirty then. I also want to tell you that there is a very good chance that Death will come out tonight. I know that she is your friend and this can't be easy." Adam stops and takes a deep breath. "Adam Pierson won't be able to take Cassandra's head, Methos won't either, Death will be able to. Just thought I should warn you in case you want to leave now. I will understand." 

Mac sits backs, thinking about what Methos just said. He didn't like the fact that Death would be making an appearance, but, Methos had warned her not to come after him again. "You are right Methos, I don't like what you are about to do. However, you have shown to me that you will try to play fair. Hell, you even gave her a chance to walk away, but she ignored that. As much as I hate Death, I will be there." 

"Thanks Mac. Now, how about a beer before we go?" 

Munch is surprised at this comment. "You want a beer before you go and fight for your life?" 

"Sure, why not. Another side affect of what we are, accelerated sobriety. It can be good or bad, depending on the situation." Mac and Adam stiffen, then seeing who walks in, relax. "Hey, hey the gangs all here. Lets go." 

Joe, Mac, Methos, Connor, Elenore, Xavier, Phil and Munch leave the bar, going to a deserted warehouse on the outskirts of town. The immortals stiffen before they enter the warehouse. Cassandra and her student Kristine are already there. 

"Saying your goodbye's Cassandra?" Taunts Methos. 

"Ah, Elenore, Xavier, I see that you have brought him to me. You shall be rewarded." 

"No Cassandra, thats where you are wrong, we brought you to him." State Elenore. 

"That cannot be right, I used the Voice on you!!" 

"You are forgetting something, those only work on people who are less powerful than you. I have been around thousands of years longer than you. I am more powerful than you." 

"Bitch." 

"Cassandra, I have given you ever chance to escape death." Methos says those words with a cold glint in his eyes. 

With a shudder, Cassandra recognizes those eyes as the eyes of Death. "What you did to me will never be forgiven. By me or Mac." 

"Cassandra," he drawls slowly, coldly, "you are a fool. Remember when we last saw each other in Seacouver?" 

"You had your *student* and Amanda stopping me and my student from taking your head. Did you kill him already?" 

Methos draws his sword out, lowers the tip to the ground and takes off his coat. He then slowly walks towards her, as if hunting prey. "My student is quite alive right now. I gave you a chance Cassandra to walk away. To live your life, hate me all you want. But you would be alive. I guess that you are too stupid to recognize what a good deal that was." 

By this point, Cassandra is trembling with rage and fear. 

"No Methos, or should I say Death, you are the fool for letting me walk away." 

By this point, they are just outside of striking distance of each other, Methos looks at her coldly before continuing. "Cassandra," he drawls, his voice even colder and filled with rage, his eyes are equally cold and filled with rage, "if we had just met somewhere accidentally, I would have let you live. Possibly even now, with you telling the whole world who I am. But not after I found out what you have been doing for the past few centuries." 

"You don't know a thing Methos. I thought that you were at least marginally smarter than Kronos. I guess not, even he knew when to abandon a sinking ship." 

Methos takes in a deep breath before continueing, "You have been hunting my students. Hunting me I can accept, but my hunting students I cannot accept. If this had happened maybe ten years ago, I wouldn't have given a damn. I guess that your precious Highlander has been rubbing off on me. I challenge you Cassandra." 

"Fine bastard, I accept." 

***

Munch looks on at the unfolding scene with a look of surprise on his face. Even last night when Methos told him that he was Death, he hadn't believed him. After all, how could such a innocent looking man be capable of such horrors? He now believed it, the man who was talking to Cassandra was Death. 

"What's wrong Munch? Cat got your tongue?" Asks Frank, pleased that something has ruffled Munch's usually cool exterior. 

"You know Frank, until today I never thought that I would meet someone that could match or beat you for intensity." 

"You missed the night in Seacouver, he was just as intense. It was a different sort of intensity though. His intensity that night was out of concern for a friend, this is Death. He was perfectly okay to let her live that night, even with her telling every immortal who he was, that was OK with him. But it seems as if she has been hunting his students for the past few centuries, and he finds that offensive." 

"Remind me never to piss him off." 

***

Out of the corner of her eye Amanda sees Cassandra's student creeping up behind Methos, sword ready to kill Methos. "Kristine, I challenge you." 

"Fine, it will be your grave." 

Kristine is a very new student, she had been in training maybe a few months. In less than five minutes, the fight is over. Amanda's sword cutting cleanly through the tender flesh of Kristine's neck. The quickening was short, nothing more than a few lightening bolts. 

***

By this time, Methos and Cassandra are fighting, when Amanda takes Kristine's head, she lunges at Methos, hoping that the quickening would distract him. Methos sees her error and takes the opportunity to disarm her. Her sword goes flying out of her hand, she drops to her knees, expecting to feel cold steel slicing through her neck. She did not expect to hear Methos' voice speaking so softly, only she could hear it. 

"Cassandra, forgive me for what I was. I have changed, but you cannot see that. I have forgiven myself for who I was, I forgave you for always trying to kill me. You always said that I deserved the consequences of my actions. I accept that. But you want it both ways, me getting the consequences of my actions, but you never getting the consequences of your actions. This is the consequence." He raises the blade up. 

Cassandra looks into his eyes and sees, regret? The one emotion she never expected to see in his eyes. "I accept the consequences." She holds her breath, expecting to feel the cold slice of steel through her neck. She looks up again to see his sword lowered by his side. 

"Go Cassandra. Just don't ever cross my path again. Also in the future, if you want to challenge me, just say it to my face. Your head will also be a lot safer if you forget that you know my real name. I don't want to hear that you are spreading who I am around." 

Cassandra was speachless, she had expected to die. Not be shown any bit of mercy from the evil bastard Methos. She hesitates before speaking, "Goodbye Methos." Goes and picks up her sword and leaves thinking that she needed to do a lot of reevaluation of her life. 

Methos drops to the floor, exhausted. He had been ready to kill her, but something had stopped him. The knowledge that if he had killed Cassandra then, he would be not better than he was when he was with the Horsemen. He feels sickened with himself, he had let Death escape. Death's voice was whispering into his ear, telling him about all the power he could have if he let Death loose again. Methos scrambled up to his feet and ran for the door of the warehouse, barely making it outside before he lost the contents of his stomach. Duncan watches in awe as Methos lets Cassandra live, it was the last thing he would have expected to happen. That was until he saw Methos drop to the floor, sit there for a moment, then run out of the warehouse. MacLeod followed him, caught up to him in time to see him throwing up. "Methos, what the hell is wrong?" 

"What I just did." 

"Why? Cassandra all but challenged you, I was surprised when you let her go." 

"Don't you know? I was DEATH in there. When I talked to Cassandra before the fight, I was Death. When I fought her I was Death. Something just clicked inside of me, I couldn't do it. If I had killed her, I would have been no better than I was then. The whole time Death was whispering in my ear, 'Let me win, and you can have the power of the Horsemen again.' It scared the shit out of me Mac." 

"And you threw up because of that?" 

"Yes, you don't understand how powerful I felt back then. I was like a God, all powerful. I don't ever want to feel like that again." 

"We had better go, Amanda took Kristine's head. Kristine was about to take your head when you were fighting Cassandra. The cops will probably be here any minute." 

***

Munch watched as Methos had his sword raised to take Cassandra's head, then Methos speaking softly to her. The sword dropping, and some more soft words. Cassandra getting her sword and leaving, Methos dropping to the ground with a haunted look on his face. His getting up and running outside where he can be heard retching the contents of his stomach up. MacLeod following him. Methos had to be one of the most complicated people that he had ever met. Of course being around 6000 years old might do that to a person. 

Everyone else in the room was surprised when Methos didn't take Cassandra's head They all had expected Methos to win, not to spare Cassandra her life. MacLeod comes into the warehouse supporting Methos' body, "We need to get the hell out of here now. I hear sirens." 

Connor picks up Kristine's sword, "At least she had a good blade." They all pile into their respective vehicles and decide to go to the Waterfront. 

In the squadroom... 

The phone rings on Meldrick's desk, he already is pretty sure what call it will be. 'Lets just hope it's Cassandra's body, not Adam's.' He thinks while picking up the phone. "Homicide, Lewis speaking." 

"There is a decapitation on 5555 Gold Street." The dispacher tells him. 

"Thanks." Meldrick writes down the particulars to the case before calling out, "Falsone, a call just came in." 

"Why me?" 

"Because everyone else is out. Now hurry your ass up." 

"Fine. But you are the primary." 

Meldrick wished that he had had the luck to get someone like Ballard, but luck was't on his side. Now if he could just resist the urge to kill the pipsqueak, all would be good. The ride to the crime scene was one spent in stony silence. 

"The body is right through there Detective." A uniform points Meldrick in the direction of the warehouse. 

There is minor damage to the warehouse from an unexplained electical storm. The body that is laying on the floor is female, sans head. Meldrick spots the head a few feet away. 

"Jesus, who could do this to a person?" Asks Falsone. 

"I don't know." He lied. He knew who did this, it was probably Adam or someone else that he met last night. I wonder if this is Cassandra. He makes a quick sketch of the body before asking, "So, who is she?" 

"Her ID found in her purse says Kristine Martin, age 25 of Colombus Ohio." Another uniform informs him. 

"Were there any witnesses?" Asks Meldrick. 

"Nope." 

"Okay, you got all you need doc?" 

"Yep." 

"Okay, take the body and head." 

"Lewis, don't you need to find more about the scene?" 

"I'll tell you what I see. I see a body without a head, no murder weapon, no witnesses, that is all I see." 

"Fine." The body is taken away, Meldrick and Falsone go back to the station. They try to figure out what happened, but Meldrick is very careful in what he says. A statue could have told more information than Lewis did. At 8 AM, he gets up and gets ready to leave. 

"You're just leaving??" 

"Yeah, it's 8 AM. I'm tired, I just want to go back and sleep." 'And find out who took Kristine's head, and if Cassandra was still alive.' "Goodnight." With that, he walks out of the station. 

At the Waterfront, the night before... 

"Methos, are you OK?" Asks a concerned Elenore. 

"I will be. I suppose you are all wondering why I didn't take her head. I don't want to go into all of the reasons, but one of them was Death. I was Death back there, I don't want that to happen again. I guess that that revulsed me. Now, I want to get drunk. Bring on the beer!" 

Mac sighs and hangs his head, leave it to Methos to think of beer at this time. Well, maybe it isn't such a bad idea. "Could I get a whiskey?" 

Everone orders drinks. Munch asks everyone, "So whos driving?" Everyone who had driven raised their hand. 

"You do understand that a DUI is not a good thing, right?" 

"We'll all be sober by then. Except for Phil, all of us have been driving since the first car was invented." 

End Part Three 

To be continued... 


End file.
